Live review: Dave Grohl stages lengthy 'Last Waltz' for Sound City at the Palladium

Even in a region as accustomed to star-studded events as Southern California, it has been an extraordinary time for rare occurrences lately. Elton John and Sarah McLachlan played Disney California Adventure. The original Blasters reunited in Santa Ana. The Who played Quadrophenia for the first time in 16 years. Ben Folds Five got back together after a decade-plus apart and packed the Mouse House.

All of it was stunning to varying degrees. Yet none of it compares to what Dave Grohl put together at the Hollywood Palladium Thursday night.

To add something extra to the L.A. premiere earlier that evening of his directorial debut Sound City, a loving and ear-opening elegy to the renowned Van Nuys studio that also serves as a fantastic encapsulation of ’70s-’90s rock history, Grohl amassed many of the key figures from the film (dubbed the Sound City Players) for a nearly nonstop 3½-hour release party.

On hand, often with Foo Fighters backing them, were several artists who cut their teeth or laid down classics at the dumpy sonic wonderland. There were punk vets (Fear’s Lee Ving) alongside cult heroes (Masters of Reality’s Chris Goss), outright legends (John Fogerty) following new-era icons (Slipknot’s Corey Taylor). Plus two talents for whom Sound City was crucial: Rick Springfield, who owes his career to the place, and Stevie Nicks, who languished there alongside then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham until luck brought the rest of Fleetwood Mac into the studio to blaze new trails with its self-titled 1975 disc and the monumental Rumours.

This same cast did the same thing roughly 10 days earlier after Grohl’s superb glimpse into the past (a must-see for music geeks) screened at Sundance, and they’ll do it once more, presumably for the last time, on Feb. 13 at NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom. But given its proximity to ground zero for Sound City’s story, the Hollywood gathering, with plenty of the studio’s regulars in attendance, seemed predetermined to be extra special.

Granted, given who else appears in the movie and on its raucous soundtrack of all-new material – dubbed Real to Reel and recorded in Grohl’s home-built Studio 606 using the same cherished recording console that was the bedrock of Sound City’s reputation – it’s understandable if much of the capacity crowd (who snatched up tickets in minutes) had hyped themselves into thinking Neil Young or Paul McCartney or Tom Petty would make unannounced appearances, or that Nevermind might get saluted somehow. Nor did Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor or Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme turn up, as was logically rumored.

Yet no one should have come away complaining, considering the once-in-a-lifetime moments they did see. Like, say, Taylor hollering Cheap Trick’s "Surrender" with that band’s Rick Nielsen to his right, riffing away and flicking picks and flinging a vinyl sleeve of his first album into the crowd, while the surviving members of Nirvana (including a highly infrequent sighting of bassist Krist Novoselic) bashed away behind them.

That batch stormed through three other Trick faves – "Hello There" to start, "Stiff Competition" to surprise and their version of Fats Domino’s "Ain’t That a Shame" for roaring fun – plus their soundtrack cut, "From Can to Can’t." "I was in Kansas City 12 hours ago," Taylor pointed out, "but there was just no (bleeping) way I was gonna miss this party tonight."

Lineup permutations were frequent yet never caused lags in the proceedings. Wallflowers keyboardist Rami Jaffee sat in most of the night, as did Germs/Nirvana/Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear. Grohl, a happy chatterbox who this night said relatively little (particularly about his film), was content to let guest stars shine. He took turns behind the drum kit (providing thunder for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, especially on a fitting rip through "Whatever Happened to My Rock ’n’ Roll") whenever the throne was vacated by hammering engine Taylor Hawkins or Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk, the latter of whom anchored a mini-set led by Goss.

Queens guitarist Alain Johannes opened with full-blown Foo support, raising the evening’s pulse quickly with a feverish rendition of "Hangin’ Tree," Grohl adding high harmony to the swirling track. Goss gave a shout-out to Sound City manager Shivaun O’Brien and the late Ronnie James Dio (Holy Diver was done there) before launching into the new "Time Slowing Down," a richly sludgy piece with snaky bass lines and distinct traces of Soundgarden and Zeppelin.

Ving lent his barking voice and speed-shouted count-ins for a tear through several Fear staples ("I Don’t Care About You," "Beef Bologna") that had Grohl & Co. beaming elatedly. Rick Springfield, heartthrob hunky as ever in a trench coat, tore through a fresh one (the heavily Foo-driven rush of "The Man That I Never Was," his best rocker in years), then dashed off all his early ’80s hits. He flubbed an entrance on "Love Is Alright Tonite," perhaps rattled by the audience’s lukewarm response when he sought out their help on "I’ve Done Everything for You" just before it. But he had the place gleefully chanting along by the time he wrapped with "Jessie’s Girl."

The clear highlights of the night, however, didn’t begin until nearly 11:30, when Fogerty emerged to trade verses with Grohl on rollicking versions of "Travelin’ Band" and "Born on the Bayou" and "Fortunate Son," plus a stretched-out jam on "Keep on Chooglin’" that had the Hall of Famer hopping up and down.

Nicks, more fiery than usual, walked away with the show after only one song, sparring with Grohl on "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around." Her next tune, a harrowing soundtrack piece about a young loved one lost to an overdose called "You Can’t Fix This," was even stronger. And that was topped by tender readings of "Dreams" and "Landslide" and finally a tremendous take on "Gold Dust Woman."

By then it felt less like a trumpeting of Grohl’s celluloid testament to the place that changed his life (despite clips shown between sets) and more like another Last Waltz, a farewell to a bygone era spotlighting Sound City stars from first residents to last denizens. It’s a shame the entire crowd couldn’t have been inside the Cinerama Dome down the street beforehand. Taking in the studio’s saga, as told through the exploits of one incredible, custom-designed soundboard, would have added resonance to these performances for an audience whose hearty yet at times reserved response sometimes felt like people were expecting even more.

I think their perspective will change as the years roll on and the documentary becomes widely seen (so far there are no O.C. showings). Eventually those who wish they’d gotten just one extra surprise – or even a single Foo Fighters or Nirvana song – will realize what a remarkable slice of revived history they were lucky to witness.

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